


Patchwork Red

by orphan_account



Category: Free!
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Fashion & Models, Haru and Aki being a dynamic duo, Multi, Sousuke giving up on everything and see where this whirlwind would take him, Sousuke stuck between crushing on two people and cursing their existence, accidental fashion model, even if he doesn't want to admit it, free clothes, it's a win-win for Sousuke really
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-18
Updated: 2015-09-18
Packaged: 2018-04-21 09:29:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,289
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4823840
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's hard to feel betrayed that he's treated as a convenient mannequin, when the two of them seems to enjoy themselves this much, their voices a warm, soothing thrum, as they chatter off to discuss future projects, plans a date to the fabric store, maybe bring Sousuke along with them this time.</p>
<p>"Ah, yeah, sure." Sousuke says, when they both look at him expectantly, gazes unwavering. "Maybe that way I'll get a say on what I'll eventually wear."</p>
<p>"Yeah," Yazaki starts.</p>
<p>"No," Haruka finishes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Patchwork Red

"It's nice to meet you, Yamazaki-kun! I've heard a lot about you from Nanase-kun!" Yazaki's voice is bright, sweet, a wind chime under the mid-summer sun. Sousuke finds himself lost for words, lips parted and face flushed red when she leans forward, cheerful, head tilted and welcoming. "I hope we can get along!"

Her smile reminds him of sunflowers, patches of sunlight, sparkling soda water, condensation sliding down a cold bottle of _ramune_.

"Y-yeah."

 

* * *

 

  
"How are you friends with her?" Sousuke asks Haruka on their way back home, scandalised. He was under the impression that Haruka had no friends in Tokyo other than Sousuke himself (and truthfully, this is still up for debate), Makoto, and the odd people from his swim team. To think that he knows someone so―  _so lovely_  and someone who looked like they wouldn't be friends with Haruka at all.

Haruka offers a shrug, his eyes kept forward on the cold asphalt road in front of thim. His umbrella nearly hits Sousuke in the face, shifted about from the easy roll of Haruka's shoulders. "We went to primary school together. Same swim club, too."

"She swims?" Sousuke's eyebrows shot up.  _Ah,_  he guesses he can see how they gravitated together, then. At this point, he's convinced Haruka is some sort of swimmer magnet. Everyone they know seem to be involved with the sport somehow.

Except Kisumi, but let's be honest, who the fuck cares about Kisumi.

"Yeah." His voice is fond, there's a small, barely noticeable bounce in his step now, blue eyes glittering like the powder snow falling around them. Of course he would be happy about that.  _Of course._  

Sousuke smacks Haruka's umbrella away, when the other starts to twirl it, the stupid little Iwatobi-chan teru-teru bouzu he tied around the point bouncing around the canopy and hitting the side of Kisumi's face. Why is Haruka so short? Why is he walking this close to him with an open umbrella? Mysteries of the world, Sousuke ponders. Nanase Haruka is an asshole, Sousuke concludes.

"So, is there a reason why you introduced us to each other?"

 

* * *

 

"Nanase-kun, hold that side okay?" Yazaki tries to say around pin she's holding between her lips, hands diligently folding swatches of fabric around his lapels. Haruka nods, pinches a different patterned fabric from the one Yazaki is holding onto the unfinished blazer they had wrestled Sousuke into just a few minutes ago.

"What exactly did you tell her about me?" Sousuke sighs to the sky, a prayer to the bright overhead lighting of their university's art department studio.

Haruka doesn't even miss a beat, answers easily, voice almost infuriatingly idle as if they were all discussing the weather. "Complete push-over, a lot of free time, body of a Greek god that would work our final project to a high A, at least."

"Hush, both of you. Yamazaki-kun, please stop squirming, you're going to loosen the pins and mess up the measurements!"

He almost wants to squirm even more, probably just a notch more violent, just to spite them.

"I cant believe we had to readjust the measurement for the shoulder! You're usually so precise about these things, Nanase-kun." Yazaki says, brushing a stray hair away from her face, finally pining down her choice pattern down onto the inside collar of the blazer and and into the fold of the sleeves, smoothing down the fabric with her hands.

"He grew, probably." Haruka says, probably deliberately driving a pin deep enough into the fabric to scrape his skin, just enough to make  him flinch, not enough to hurt. His loss, though, if he made Sousuke bleed all over their final project. "He's like the hulk, grows whenever he's angry. And that's all the time."

"Now, now, don't be rude." Yazaki adjusts the lapels, gives two perfunctory pats to his chest. She smiles, when Haruka moves away as well, probably finished with resizing as well. They both take three steps back, looks at him from head to toe in synchronized appraising motions.

"Perfect," they say together, satisfied.

Sousuke turns on the stool he's currently standing on, to look at himself in the mirror placed behind him. His reflection looks back at him, awed, cheeks red. Saying that one would fuck themselves is more of Rin's thing, but _dang,_ would Sousuke fuck himself right now. Dark grey linen hugging his body, emphasizing the sharp angles of his posture, accents of red patchwork fabric highlighting the cool undertones of his skin, his eyes.

"It doesn't look box-ey. That's good. I was afraid of that," Yazaki says with a palm to her cheek, a sigh of relief leaves her lips, takes along with it, the weight on her shoulders.

"I told you linen was a good choice. It's cozy-looking." Haruka says. Sousuke wonders if he was inspired from personal experience. Sleeping on Sousuke's couch huddled together every other afternoon is the very definition of "cozy", it's not far-fetched to think the image came to him because of that.

Honestly, Sousuke just hopes he can keep the blazer after they've been graded for it. It would be nice to wear to events he has yet been invited to, but hey, you never know.

 

* * *

 

He's not one to complain about free clothes, really. But Sousuke thinks that things might have just probably, just maybe, gotten the slightest bit out of hand. After the blazer ― that he's eternally grateful that they let him keep ― they had all but shoved him a whole department store of clothes and accessories. In the span of one year's winter, Sousuke had found himself with two specially knitted gloves and five lovingly crocheted scarves ― all in different colours and styles, even! Sousuke never knew there were scarves that aren't long with tassels or a huge square with tassels. Infinity scarves are a thing he discovered one Monday morning when he had walked to campus together with Haruka, and the shorter man wrapped this fluffy eggshell scarf of convenience and endless warmth around his neck.

Sousuke asks one day, when Yazaki hands him a paper bag with three different spring cardigans and vests, material light, but still enough to keep him comfortably warm. It's so, so, so soft that he resists sticking his hand into the bag to stroke the woven wool for what is probably the sixth time in the past thirty minutes.

"Why do you guys keep making clothes for me?"

Yazaki blushes, mouth hidden behind a gloved hand, fingers loosely curled into a fist. She coughs and looks away. "Well, you're a great model, and for some reason your figure really clicks with the stuff we make, you know?" She turns back towards him, and Sousuke feels his knees wobble. He's weak, he realises, to her summer smiles, a sweetness that reaches her eyes, crinkles at the edges. "I really like making clothes for you, Yamazaki-kun."

Sousuke tries to reply, a broken stammer, fumbled expressions of gratitude and  _oh god, he's flattered, really, how is he supposed to say any of this without_ ―

"We just have your exact measurements. Taking new ones of other people is too much of a bother."

"Nanase-kun!" Yazaki laughs, a light-hearted shove to Haruka's arm. "That was supposed to be a secret!"

It's hard to feel betrayed that he's treated as a convenient mannequin, when the two of them seems to enjoy themselves this much, their voices a warm, soothing thrum, as they chatter off to discuss future projects, plans a date to the fabric store, maybe bring Sousuke along with them this time.

"Sure." Sousuke says, when they both look at him expectantly, gazes unwavering. "Maybe that way I'll actually get a say on what I'll eventually wear."

"Yeah," Yazaki starts.

"No," Haruka finishes.


End file.
